The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1887-07-29
KALAKAUA AMI Mr.. GIBSON.
How Hawaii's Deposed Prime Minister
Left Brigham Young in the Lurcli.
Especial Correspondencel s5 5l-


Left brigham Young in the Lurcl,.
special Correspondence a-
SALT LAKE Cry, July 90
The news Of the rebellion in Hawaii brings
to public notice once more the name of old
Kalakaua, the king of the Sandwich Islands,
and with 1t is now coupled the name of a.
man who has heretofore been but little heard
of beyond the limits of tho Pacific islands.
This is Walter Murray Gibson, the deposed
prime minister of Kalakauas kingdom.
Gibson has history that davors of the
style of Sinbad's, and though he may not
have experienced all the miracles of fiction
writer's imagination, bis life has surely been as
eventful as that of any character ever con-
ceived. Where he originated do not know but
he first came west about thirty-flve years ago.
When this city was in its infancy he arrived
here and was attracted by the Mormon faith.
He joined the saints without hesitation, and
was for long time the trusted lieutenant of
Brigham Young. When he felt that he had
worked himself sufficiently into the confidence
of the Mormon leader, he proposed mission
to the Sandwich Islands, to which Young
readily gave his consent 1t was agreed that
he should devote all his energies to the adj
yancement of the interests of the Mormon
colony, which had then only just been estab-
lished on one of the islands. In order to do
this Gibson was given unlimited means, and
started out with every opportunity to make
his mission grand success. Arriving at the
islands, however, he saw that he could use
his time to better advantage than in making
Mormon converts, so he decided to leave
Brigham in the lurch.
Taking the funds with which he had been
provided, he fitted out craft and made q
complete inspection of all the Pacific islands.
He carried the thing off with good deal of
pomp, so that in every place where he landed
the natives looked upon him with awe. He
Immediately conceived the idea of bringing
all the islands under one government. with
himself at the head, but being unable to sur
mount certain obstacles, this plan was after
ward abandoned After spending several
years In roaming over the Pacific he returned
to Honolulu and went to work on another
scheme. He still had money left, and
by its lavish use he seems TO have in
spired the confidence of the ruler. He was
first given an Insignificant Office under the
government, and from this he rose q little at
q time until he reached the top of the Ha-
waiian ladder and became prime minister to
the king. His success may be credited rather
to his shrewdness than to his fitness, and there
is no reason to believe that he stopped at any
thing for the sake of principle. His steal
from the Mormons was fair example of
what he would do. and his career has been
characterized by many such actions as this.
He does not, however, seem to have been mn
grateful to the Utah saints for wlat,they did
toward making him successful, for their mis-
sionaries have always been allowed the great
est possible liberties on the islands. Their
colony IS In d thriving condition, and the
government has always been favorable TO
them. deeming their polygamy vastly prefer
able to the promiscuous state OF the native
society. f8sYa g
As prime minister Gibson has been king IN
everything except the name, his shreEd engi-
neeTing always having kept him above Kala-
kaua. His ministry has been tyrannical and
TO a great extent opposed to tile advancement
Of his subjects. Asa result he became url-
popular with the people, and the association
OF she king with Gibson has also frp~~ed him